Self service locker



Jan. 19, 1932.

c. H. POTTER SELF SERVICE LGGKR 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Yara/mei. Toffe:

ATTORNEY WITNESSES c/X/@W `Jan..19, 1932. C, H POTTE 1,842,286

SELF SERVICE LOCKER Filed May 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 19, 1932 CLARENGEH. PTTER, or oRANGE; NEW JERSEY Application filed May 18;

This invention `relates to lockers for clothingvand particularly to an improved selfservice locker and a system ofusingsmall and large lockers to economize on space While l presenting amplelarge lockerv service.

Another objectof the invention is to provide afself-service `locker system which includes the use 4of-a group pffsmall lockers and a group-of large lockers `with the parts so arranged that theluggagecarrier or rack of the `smalllocker. may be fitted into the large locker so as to function with-the locking mechanism thereof `in fthegsame way as with the small-locker. l t

Anfurther object; more specically, is to provide in: a locker, a luggage carrier or rack which may be bodily removable, the same bef ing` `formed with article `carrying supports with 'alpair `for interlockingwith certain Z'oflthe `parts of said locker. i i Aniadditional object is to provide an i1nproved system of lockers formed with connectingw tubular `members. for presenting an air exhaust system, the locker being provided with Ventilating openings at certain points and anoutlet through the tubular members at asecond pointso that a complete circulation of air throughthe entire interior of the locker is secured. H

Figure lisa front view of a group of small lockers with one locker shown open, the same illustrating certain features of the invention.

Figure" 2 is lan enlarged sectional view through Figure l-approximatelyon line 2 2. Figure 13 isa front view showing approximately `two and one-half lockers5 the door of onelocker being shownopen for `better illus trating the construction.

Figure 4 `is a Vsectional view .3 on line s Figure :5 is a detailed perspective view of the rack or luggage carrier shown in Figures l and `2.

Referring tothe accompanyingv drawings by numerals7 l and 2l indicate small locker sections, each section'having three tiers of lccker members. It will be evident thatl a single section 1or only two' -may1 be used in a group without'.departingfrom ythe spirit of the in- Ventron.l These lockers arerm'adepreferably 4o" through Figure 193i. seriarno. 538,325.

ofisheetmetal and each locker member is providedfwithadoor Shingedly mounted and held in place bysuitable bolts l. Also, each door is preferably provided `with Ventilating openings 5 and 6 while the body of the Ilocker memberislprovidedwith an outlet-Ventilating opening 7 which Adischarges into the member 8. The tubular member 8 isintended to run in back ofvarious tiers of locker' members and be suppliedat a desired Vpoint with a suction fan whereby air from the interior `of each locker member may be .drawn therefrom while fresh air enters through the ventilating openingsw and. This is very desirable in that ggymfsuits7 bathing suits andthe like are 65 often place'din' these locker members while in avery Wet condition and would moldif not dried `in some way. Heretofore, 'it has been customary toplace the gym suits and the like` in tbaskets and then place the iilled baskets in '30 drying yroomf after which thedsuits were placed-in the locker members.` This entailed much expense and work of attendants, where'- as by the use ofthe Ventilating system just described, the clothes may be dried upon the functionof the fan (not shown) associated with the tubular suction member 8. lhile this Ventilating system is shown in connection with `the small lockers. it could be used in con-` nection withthe large lockers withoutdeparting from the spir'itfof the invention.`

Each ofthe small lockersiis provided with a notch 9 and each door 3 is provided with a slot 10 through which the apertured lug 11 connected `with oneI of the bolts 4l extends. A 85 lugl2 is Vrigidly secured? to each :of the doors 8 opposite `the bottomof. the slot l0 so that whentthe bolts flare ina projected or locked position,1 lugs 111 and 12 will bein alinement andv the bolt of lock 13 is inserted there` 90 throughf for locking the door. It will be evidentthat anykind of padlock `maybe used, but preferably a combination lock is used wherebythe use of keys is notnecessary.H

. From Figures land 2t it will be noted that 95. thelugl2 'is-provided with a chain 14 which is connected tothe lug or extension l5 with the supporting barrigidly secured tol and forming afpartlof luggage rack Y17'. This lugfits into the notch 9 and is held therein when `the 100 i is placed in the locker.

door 3 is closed so that when the bolt or lock 13 is in locked position, the door cannot be opened and the rack or luggage carrier is held in proper position in the locker. It will be noted from Figure 2 that the bar 16 is provided with an extension 18 tting over the bracket or hook 19 so that when the door 3 is open as shown at the upper part of Figure 1, the luggage carrier may be grasped and pulled directly out of the locker member and may again be placed in position by a reverse action. rlhe rack or luggage carrier 17 is also provided with a bar 20. Bars 16 and 20 are preferably provided With a number ofhooks 21 tor receiving clothes, said bars being rigidly secured to the uprights or posts 22 and 23 Which'posts at the lower ends are rigidly secured to a boX or container v2&1. Preferably all these members are metal and they may be riveted or Welded together as preerred Preferably the luggage carrier is slightly shorter than the height of one of the small locker members in the respective sections 1 and 2, but preferably somewhat narrovver as shown in Figure 2 so that the luggage oarriers may be quickly applied and removed and also so that they may be completely supported by the bar 16. rl`hese luggage carriers and their respective small locker members are intended. to receive and contain the gym clothes of a person attending gymnasium. However, When a person desires to use his particular clothes, he unlocks hisparticular locker member and removes the rack or luggage carrier 17 and places the same in one of the large or full-sized lockers 25. As all the lockers 25 are identical in structure, the description of one in connection With the luggage carrier Will apply to all.

As shown in Figures 3 and 1, each of the lockers 25 is provided With a notch 26 and with a hook 19, said notch and hook being adapted to receive the respective extensions 15 and 18 of bar 16 when the luggage carrier When this has been done, the person using the locker undresses and places his street clothes in the locker and dons the gym clothes carried by the carrier 17. After this has been done, the person using the device closes and locks the door 27 whereupon his clothes are properly protected and supported in the full-sized locker, which could not be true if he attempted to place his street clothes in the small locker. Locker 25 is usually about siX feet high or it could be of less height, though the intention is to have one sufliciently high so that the street clothes may be hung therein and supported in a manner to prevent Wrinkling. Each of the lockers 25 is provided With locking bolts 4 similar to that shown in Figure 1 and also lugs 11 and 12 so that the lock 13 may Jfunction in the same manner on the lockers 25 as onthe small locker members shown in Figure 1.

After the person using the locker has linished his exercises or other Work, he comes and removes the lock 13, opens the door 27 and changes his clothes. After this has been done, he places his gym clothes in the luggage carrier 17. and then bodily removes the luggage carrier and clothes and places them in the small locker after which he closes and locks the small locker as above described. This leaves the largelocker free to be used by other persons.

In Y. M. C. A.s, the space Jfor large lockers is somewhat limited and incidentally the cost of securing a large number of large lockers is appreciable. By providing a small locker for each person using the gymnasium in the Y. M. C. A., an appreciable less number of large-lockers may be provided, and a comparatively large number of persons may be accommodatedat a minimum cost. Usually the person uses the lockers only one or two hours, tWo or three times a Week, and the remaining times the locker is idle. By the system or' self-service lockers described, the large lockers may be used by different persons at dierent times during the twenty-four hours of the day and consequently the large lockers may be in use a large part of the time. As an example, a Y. M. C. A. may have fty large lockers and tWo or three hundred small lockers. By providing the small lockers and the Ventilating system above described, the locker service is completely self-serving and consequently the drying room is not necessary nor is it necessary to provide attendants to take care of the clothes during the drying operation and to check in and check out the clothes from dilerent persons.

I claim:

1. A self-service locker system including a locker provided With a door having a slot and an apertured lug adjacent the slot, a lug-l gage carrier of a size to lit into said locker, said luggage carrier being provided With a bar having a pair of extensions, said locker having a notch for receiving one of said eX- tensions and a hook for receiving the other of said extensions, a lock carried by one of said extensions and a lock for said door, said last mentioned lock having a coacting apertured lug extending through said slot, said apertured lugs being adapted to receive the bolt of the first mentioned lock so that the luggage carrier iitted into the locker Will coact With the body, door and locking mechanism thereo.

2. A clothes locker comprising a casing, provided With a notch in the front part thereof, and a hook in the rear part thereof, a door hingedly connected to said casing, a lock carried by the door for locking the door closed, said door having a slot, an apertured lug connected With said lock and extending through said slot, an apertured a bar having a pair i L padlock type carried casing and lug rigidly secured to said door near the bottomoi' said slot, a luggage carrier removably positioned in said locker and provided with of extensions, one extension fitting into said hook and the other into said notch, said last mentioned lug extending beyond said casing, and a lock of the by said last mentioned lug and positioned to have the bolt thereof extend through both of said lugs when they are in alinement, whereby the locking mechanismof said door cannot be moved.

3. A locker and luggage carrier comprising a casing provided with a doorway formed with a notch at one edge merging into the doorway, a door for said doorway, a hook arranged in line with saidnotch, a locking mechanism mounted on the door provided with a bolt, said door having a slot therein adjacent the bolt, an apertured lug extending from the bolt through said slot, said slot being of greater length than the width of the lug, a second lug rigidly connected to the door exteriorly thereof, and in line with the bottom portion of said slot, a luggage carrier removably positioned in said provided with a bar having the respectively in said notch and in said hook, said bar projecting `beyond the casing,` a liexible member connected to that part of the bar projecting beyond the casing, a padlock carried by said flexible member and having a bolt adapted to be passed through said lugs when in a locked position for locking said bolt against movement whereby said door is maintained in a locked position.

CLARENCE H. POTTER.`

ends fitting 

